New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-04-01
REPUBLIC1NISM OR ANARCHY

Tuesdays election will mean much for the
City of Chicago but it will also mean some
thing for the cause Of free government every
where. The Democratic party has for some
years prevailed in Chicago through an alliance
Of a shrewd demagoguc, Carter Harrison. with
the law breaking classes Rapid growth of the
lawess spirit has naturally followed, and it has
been greatly accelerated 10y the addition OF
n,uiitudes of foreign Socialists. ignorant OF
American institutions. 10 the voting population.
The outbreak of anarchy last year brought a
crisis. Destruction of civilized society and
overthrow Of all law were sought by the rcvOlu.
tionists and the faintcst attempt of society to
defend itself and to enforce law maddcncd
them. Now Chicago has Socialists candidate
for Mayor Carter Harrison augrily refuses to
run the Democratic party is dcm0ralizcd. and
searches in vain for men who will consent To
10 candidates, and the issue is between the
Socialist. Nelson and the Republican candi-
date Roche.
Whether the city reached this pass through
the misconduct of one party or the other makes
now no difference. The question has come to
bc ono of public safety. Law-abidlng citizens
Of all parties know that the election of a Mayor
by tho votes and sympathies of the Anarchists
would infict incalculablc injury upon the city.
Business cannot thrive property cannot ad.
vance or even maintain it's value, industry can
not DO supported, the personal rights Of indi-
vidual citizens cannot be protected, without a
government which has the will and the power
to enforce the laws faithfully and fcarlcssly.
A government created by and dependent upon
the Socialists and labor organizations Of Chicago
| land IN that city the sympathy Of many labor
organizations with the Anarchists has been dis
gracefully displayed, to the disgust of sober.
minded and law abiding workcrs-Coud not up
mold law. defend rights of property or person,
or maintain order. Capital would be driven
from city with such a government, lenders
elsewhere would refuse to continue loans urOn
property exposed 10 the torch OF Anarchy and
defended by no organized body of law abiding
citizens. Insurance companies would shrink
from risks on property so exposed Employers
would seek TO transfer their industries and
their costly plants to safer loca tics and in
| tclligcnt labor would seek employment where
peaceful industry is not liable to be at any time
| arrested by lawlcss violence.
| Good citizens Of all Parties have reason to
unite in support of the Republican ticket, not
only because the welfare of Chicago is at stake,
but because O triumph of Anarchists and their
sympa .hizers there would bring cproach upon
self government. True free government finds
its hardest problems in the coptrol of great
cities, rapidly changing in population, throngcd
with recent foreign immigrants who are igno-
rant of free institutions and who imagine that
all law is oppression. But even these hard
problems free government must meet. or be dis
credited wherever civilization seeks order and
industry needs stability. II the free ballot
cannot be trusted, even in Chicago, to up
hold government of law against the An
archisis and all who sympathize with them
faith in suffrage will be shaken. In direct